Day 2 - Sunday 22nd July 2007

The Saône Valley

A leisurely morning after a long day yesterday and a well-deserved long sleep (even if the airbeds deflated). We arose to sunshine, and had a lazy breakfast in our "fully integrated camp" - even though the need to avoid getting wet has diminished, it's stil useful to be able to use the car as a cold store.

After breakfast, tidying, reading, etc, we had an early lunch, then headed out for a drive up the Saône valley. First stop was Beaujeu, where the church had a multi-coloured roof...

..and inside had the oldest stained glass in Franche-Compté

Outside again, Rosie relaxed in the sunshine as Meld and I looked at other old buildings.

Just down the road this old wash-house had the Mairie upstairs

The washhouses are all ancient monuments, and you can hardly imagine anyone there scrubbing ther smalls.

Next stop, just up the valley was {place beginning with N need to look it up} where public art took on a new dimension - a retired Citroen...

...a road roller...

...and discarded bathroom ceramicware (how appropriate!)

Their washhouse was adorned with paintings of other washhouses in the area.

Rosie liked this tree with its leaves.

Next we passed through Vy-le-Ferroux (no trouble remembering that - must remember to photograph more signs). The shape and colouring of the roof of the tower is typical.

We rejoined the Saône at Scey-sur-Saône, where the river passes over a wide weir (and through a small hydroelectric generator).

There were various birds around, including this which Meld thought was a grebe.

Up on top of seemingly the only hill around we saw several birds of prey, including these two, taking an interest in the wildlife beign disturbed by a tractor turning straw. (The one on the right, trailing a string, seemed to be separate from the others). Further on we saw, but were unable to photograph, two large white (with grey wings) eagle-like birds - there seem to be a lot around.

Under the hill runs a canal tunnel, allowing boats to avoid a long and unnavigable loop to the south. It's not very long, and with some care you can hang over the side and see the far end.

3 boats passed through while we were there.

We then headed to {look up name} where there was an "art and gardens" event. It too had a church with fancy roof...

...but we'd missed the open gardens, and ou had to pay to go into the events where the art was on dispaly, so we had a look around and then moved on.

We drove to the top of the hill above the village, which has a viewpoint, but it was closed for the holidays (14th July - 31st August)! Outside someone's pet rabbit was enjoying its freedom.

And so, back to the campsite for supper and diary writing, the setting sun shining in the beech hedges..